Patentable/Patents/US-10999504
US-10999504

Lens cover-based image capture device operation

PublishedMay 4, 2021
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

An image capture device may include one or more optical elements. One or more lens covers may be used to cover the optical element(s). Usage of the lens cover(s) with respect to the optical element(s) may be determined. The operation of the image capture device may be changed based on whether the lens cover(s) are on or off the optical element(s).

Patent Claims
18 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. An image capture device that changes operation based on lens cover usage, the image capture device comprising: a housing; an optical element carried by the housing and configured to guide light within a field of view to an image sensor; the image sensor carried by the housing and configured to generate a visual output signal conveying visual information based on light that becomes incident thereon, the visual information defining visual content having the field of view; and one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: obtain lens cover usage information, the lens cover usage information characterizing usage of a lens cover with respect to the optical element; determine a state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element based on the lens cover usage information; and change operation of the image capture device based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element, wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that responsive to the lens cover being off the optical element, an alert to place the lens cover on the optical element is generated based on deactivation of the image capture device.

2

2. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that responsive to the lens cover being on the optical element, the image capture device is deactivated.

3

3. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that responsive to the lens cover being on the optical element, the image sensor is deactivated.

4

4. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that the lens cover is required to be on the optical element to deactivate the image capture device.

5

5. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that responsive to the lens cover being on the optical element during activation of the image capture device, the image capture device is returned to prior deactivated state.

6

6. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that the lens cover is required to be off the optical element to activate the image capture device.

7

7. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element is determined to be on, off, or between on and off.

8

8. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that different user interactions with the image capture device are required to prompt the image capture device to perform a function based on whether the lens cover is on or off the optical element.

9

9. The image capture device of claim 8 , wherein the function includes switching between turning on and off, and the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that: for a turning on function: responsive to the lens cover being on the optical element, a long-press of a power button is required to turn on the image capture device; responsive to the lens cover being off the optical element, a short-press of the power button is required to turn on the image capture device; and for a turning off function: responsive to the lens cover being on the optical element, the short-press of the power button is required to turn off the image capture device; and responsive to the lens cover being off the optical element, the long-press of the power button is required to turn off the image capture device.

10

10. A method for changing operation of an image capture device based on lens cover usage, the image capture device including an optical element, an image sensor, and one or more processors, the optical element configured to guide light within a field of view to the image sensor, the method comprising: obtaining, by the one or more processors, lens cover usage information, the lens cover usage information characterizing usage of a lens cover with respect to the optical element; determining, by the one or more processors, a state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element based on the lens cover usage information; and changing, by the one or more processors, operation of the image capture device based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element, wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that responsive to the lens cover being off the optical element, an alert to place the lens cover on the optical element is generated based on deactivation of the image capture device.

11

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that responsive to the lens cover being on the optical element, the image capture device is deactivated.

12

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that responsive to the lens cover being on the optical element, the image sensor is deactivated.

13

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that the lens cover is required to be on the optical element to deactivate the image capture device.

14

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that responsive to the lens cover being on the optical element during activation of the image capture device, the image capture device is returned to prior deactivated state.

15

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that the lens cover is required to be off the optical element to activate the image capture device.

16

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element is determined to be on, off, or between on and off.

17

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that different user interactions with the image capture device are required to prompt the image capture device to perform a function based on whether the lens cover is on or off the optical element.

18

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the function includes switching between turning on and off, and the operation of the image capture device is changed based on the state of the usage of the lens cover with respect to the optical element such that: for a turning on function: responsive to the lens cover being on the optical element, a long-press of a power button is required to turn on the image capture device; responsive to the lens cover being off the optical element, a short-press of the power button is required to turn on the image capture device; and for a turning off function: responsive to the lens cover being on the optical element, the short-press of the power button is required to turn off the image capture device; and responsive to the lens cover being off the optical element, the long-press of the power button is required to turn off the image capture device.

Classification Codes (CPC)

Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.

Patent Metadata

Filing Date

November 25, 2019

Publication Date

May 4, 2021

Want to explore more patents?

Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.

Citation & reuse

Analysis on this page is generated by Patentable — an AI-powered patent intelligence platform. AI-generated summaries, explanations, and analysis may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL below. Patent abstracts and claims are USPTO public domain.

Cite as: Patentable. “Lens cover-based image capture device operation” (US-10999504). https://patentable.app/patents/US-10999504

© 2026 Patentable. All rights reserved.

Patentable is a research and drafting-assistant tool, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. Documents we generate are drafts for review by a licensed patent attorney.